Single crystals of Rochelle salt, [-OOC-CHOH-CHOH-COO-, Na+ K+]center dot 4H(2)O, X-irradiated at 10 K, have been examined using EPR, ENDOR and EIE spectroscopic techniques to characterize the radiation induced radicals stable at that temperature and their reactions upon warming. The one-electron gain product was observed and from the hyperfine interaction with a beta-proton it was unambiguously centered at the C-4 position of the tartrate moiety. An additional nearly isotropic hyperfine structure of about 21 MHz was tentatively assigned to interaction with a sodium ion exhibiting a close contact to O-3 in the crystal. Evidence was obtained that the one-electron reduced radical had become protonated at one of the C-4 bonded carboxyl oxygens, most probably O-4. No evidence for the corresponding C-1-centered reduction product was found. Two resonance lines (R2, A1) were shown by EIE to belong to a species formed by decarboxylation at C-3, a secondary oxidation product. Two other resonance lines (K1, K2) were assigned to two varieties of another decarboxylation radical, centered at C-2, distinguished by differences in the potassium ion coordination. Furthermore, one other resonance line (A2) was tentatively ascribed to a third decarboxylation radical, centered at the opposite end of the tartrate moiety. The precursor of these products, that is, the one-electron loss product, was not observed after X-irradiation at 10 K. Thermally induced free radical reactions followed by EPR in the temperature range of 12-119K indicate that a water molecule or a hydroxyl ion is eliminated from the one-electron reduction product radical and that a C-3-centered radical is formed. The reduction and oxidation reaction pathways of hydroxy acid derivatives are discussed. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
